I did not BEDA, although judging from the amount of time I spent BIC, staring at my laptop, you’d think I was extremely focused on my next novel.

Uh, no.

I’ve been gazing, inert and engrossed, at the screen of my laptop because that’s where so many of my friends live. And when I’m not tweeting, updating my status, reading blogs, commenting, and emailing, I’m watching instant movies on Netflix (“Let the Right One In” – creepy), DVDs of Supernatural (hot brothers) or My So-Called Life (YA genius).

Sometimes … I’m even writing.

But I remember when I used to do other stuff besides stare into my laptop.

I miss doing stuff.

And one thing is clear: I’ve become addicted to your society … that’s right: YOU. My far-flung friends in Arizona and Oklahoma and New Zealand and Finland!

But it’s time for me to fight the inertia! I’m going haul my ass self out of the chair and … do stuff.

I think I’m even ready for BAM.

(Blogging Alternatives in May.)

I’ve felt a backlash coming on for a couple of months.

For the month of May, I’m going to try to spend more time in my Real Life than my online life.

Want to join me? It’s only for ONE MONTH.

Oh! You know what? Let’s have a contest!

Here are the rules, which I am making up as I go along, officially posting:

1) Do some RL stuff during the month of May that you would not normally do, because you’re busy hanging out in cyberspace.

2) Take a picture of said RL stuff, as proof that you got up from your chair, left the orbit of your Interwebz, and did it. With some kind of time stamp or sign that tells me you did it in May 2009.

I can’t promise you monkeys or blogging buddies, as the lovely Maureen Johnson did for her BEDA challenge, but I will come up with goodies.

I’m a big fan of Moonstruck Chocolates, so there will most certainly by some of those included. And probably books. The book population in my house is starting to get out of control, so it’s time to give some away.

Oh! Maybe I’ll even have my ARCs (!!!) by the end of May. I could give one of those away. And … I don’t know. I’ll think of some fun stuff. Hey! Maybe I’ll have more than one winner! Let’s say THREE. I will award three prizes! Yes. I love the number three. Maybe there should be categories. Yes ! Categories! Maybe: ART, OUTINGS, and PEOPLE.

Why ART?

I was talking about artsy craftsy projects with soniag recently. I have this theory that people should step outside their creative boxes sometimes … for example, if you’re a writer, you should do something visual, like draw or paint or heck, even color!

My theory is that the Wordy Brain Cells (sorry to be so technical) live right next door to the Visual Brain Cells (the VBCs). If you stimulate the VBCs by painting or sculpting or making some kind of ART, you will tickle the whole Creative Cortex (yes, that’s the correct terminology), which in turn brushes up against the Wordy Brain Cells, causing Expansion of Ideas.

I used to love to make stepping stones – I haven’t done one in a couple of years. Maybe my BAM project will be a new stepping stone. Or maybe I will make a mosaic flower pot.

Here's one of my hard-working stones:

(Here are some others I made. Oh, and one I helped my son make for a Father's Day present.)

This entry is getting long, so we’ll talk about OUTINGS and PEOPLE another time.

“But Lisa,” you say, “I don’t have time for this folderol.* You may be staring hypnotized into your laptop, but I am actually writing!”

To which I say, “Yay! Keep going! If you’re in the zone, DO NOT LEAVE IT.”

In fact, you can join lisa_schroeder, whose motto for May is: ANOBIMWI (Almost No Blogging in May, Write Instead).

I’m still going to tweet and blog and such. Come on, I’m not crazy.

But I’m going to spend more time tickling the VBCs and hoping they make the fiction flow better.

And if no one enters my contest ... that's okay, too. More chocolate for me.

No, seriously, it's not hard, but it requires a lot of stuff. Like cement. And a form to pour it in. And glass tiles. For starters, you can look on eBay for mosaic tiles. I actually just ordered the fiesta colored ones! If there's a Michael's Craft store near you, they carry the supplies you'd need, too.

Yay - I love this! I want to do something artistic! It's hard for me because I don't think of myself as an artistic person, but dang it, I'm going to try it. GREAT idea for a contest! I'll have to link to you when I do my Author2Author blog post next week. :)

Super, great idea. You inpired me to dive into Real Life today...I'm spreading the world over at Cuppa Jolie, and although I didn't have my camera to document today's lovely Real Life experience, I won't leave home without it for the rest of May. Plus I'll try to post one Real Life thing each week. Fun stuff. Thanks!

Oh I am so, so in! This is the best idea I've heard in a while! Real Life Stuff, here I come!

Hmm, I am very much for Art. Or maybe Outings. People, not so much ;o)

I used to sew almost all my clothes. Can you believe? Back in college I was so creative (and clearly had too much time on my hands...) I did decoupage, felting, painted pots, made jewellery, painted on glass... I have even blown glass, woven rugs and done so many things! Nowadays I do nothing. Well, I partially explain it away by saying that I now put my creative energy into writing. But the truth is, I spend a lot of time online, too. I will pick up the thrown gauntlet! Yes I will!

I could cheat and just send you pictures of the glass I blew... Nah, I will think of something new! It was the most dangerous hobby I've ever taken up, though. A makeshift wobbly oven with temperatures of about 572F and one of the course participants was an old woman who would topple over all the time... I am amazed no-one was seriously injured.